EOR - Made in Germany - Based in Berlin

Employer of Record (EOR)

Hire employees in Germany compliantly – onboarding within 24 hours. As your Employer of Record with a legal entity in Germany, we take care of employment contracts, payroll, and all labor-law related matters.

✔︎ Based in Berlin, Germany

✔︎ In-house labor law expertise

✔︎ Licensed by the Federal Employment Agency (AÜG)

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Individual Contracts

Within 24 hours. Legally vetted by our Berlin experts. No generic templates.

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Fair Pricing

599€ Monthly EoR Fee. Fully transparent with zero hidden costs.

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German DNA

Specialized EOR services, tailored for the local German market.

AUG Licensed

Fully authorized for labor leasing in Germany. 100% legal compliance guaranteed.

Sustainability

EcoVadis Gold rated for ethical business and social responsibility.

Why hiring in Germany is Complex and how an EOR Solves it

Germany has one of the most regulated employment systems in the world — creating legal, financial, and operational complexity for foreign companies.

PROTECTION

Strong Labour Laws

German labour law is globally renowned for its high level of employee protection. Hiring and termination are complex; errors are costly.

LEGAL MANAGEMENTworknow manages all legal processes to ensure full compliance.

COMPLIANCE

Strict Contract Standards

Contracts must meet high legal standards to be enforceable. Non-compliant templates pose a significant liability risk.

LOCAL COMPLIANCEworknow provides legally vetted, localised contracts for you.

REGULATIONS

Employer of Record = AÜG

In Germany, EOR models are strictly classified as labour leasing (AÜG). Operating without a permit is illegal.

FULLY LICENSEDworknow holds the full AÜG license for maximum certainty.

You lead the team. We handle the rest.

Employing in Germany means navigating strict labor laws, complex payroll rules, and close coordination with public authorities. As your Employer of Record, we ensure full end-to-end compliance – so you don’t have to. All services are delivered by our in-house teams in Germany — with clear ownership and a dedicated point of contact.

Operational Control

You manage the employee

You retain full operational control over the employee's daily work. This includes assigning tasks, setting priorities, and defining all strategic goals.

Team Management: Performance management and complete integration of the employee into your team.
Decision-making Authority: You make all business decisions regarding the employee's workflow.

Legal & Administration

We handle Employment & Compliance

worknow acts as a licensed legal employer in Germany and assumes full employer responsibility for all administrative tasks.

Entire Process: We take care of employment contracts under German law, onboarding, offboarding, and terminations.
Finance & Security: Management of payroll, wage payments, taxes, social security contributions, and statutory benefits.

Local expertise. Personal support. Real German compliance.

Unlike global one-size-fits-all platforms, we provide hands-on Employer of Record services built specifically for Germany — with local experts, tailored contracts, and one dedicated point of contact.

Tailored Setup & Smooth Onboarding

From compliant contracts to first payroll, we guide every step of the hiring process and adapt each setup to your needs.

Outcome: Faster starts, fewer delays, and a professional first impression.

One Dedicated Contact

Both employer and employee work with one named contact person who understands the full setup.

Outcome: Clear communication, quick answers, and dependable support.

A Trusted Local Employer

Your employees join through a real local employer in Germany with personal support and clear accountability.

Outcome: More confidence for candidates and a stronger employee experience. Learn more →

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What does it really cost to hire in Germany?

Calculate total employer costs with our employment cost calculator.

Monthly Gross Salary

€

Total Employment Costs (ER)

0,00 €

EOR Fee (BEST Plan)

599,00 €*

INVESTMENT

From offer to employment in Germany

We guide you through each step of the process — from defining your hire to onboarding — with dedicated support from our German employment experts.

Define your hire

You share the key details of your planned hire in Germany. We assess the setup and confirm legal feasibility.

20-min alignment call

Legal setup & contracts

We establish the employment structure and prepare all contracts in full compliance with German law.

In-house legal experts

Onboarding & employment

Your employee is onboarded through worknow. We handle payroll, taxes, and compliance while you manage daily work.

Ready to start immediately

Full Support for German Contract Types 2026

UNLIMITED

Full-time

The standard solution for your core team in Germany. Includes full social security coverage and specialized payroll management.

STRATEGIC HIRE Long-term commitment with professional payroll and administrative support. GET IN TOUCH —

FLEXIBLE

Part-time

Customized working hour models tailored to your talents' needs. We ensure precise pro-rata accounting and legal alignment.

BALANCE Maximum flexibility while maintaining full legal security for your team. GET IN TOUCH —

MARGINAL

Minijob

Marginal employment up to the 2026 limit (€603/mo). Ideal for support roles with simplified flat-rate tax contributions.

EFFICIENT Streamlined processing of marginal employment via worknow. LEARN MORE ➜

ACADEMIC

Working Students

Leverage academic talent while optimizing costs through the German student insurance privilege. Perfect for talent pipelining.

TALENT POOL Secure tomorrow's experts today with optimized cost structures. LEARN MORE ➜

How EOR compares to other hiring options in Germany

Companies hiring in Germany typically compare several options before deciding how to employ their first team members. An Employer of Record (EOR) is often the fastest and lowest-risk setup — but depending on your goals, alternatives such as opening a GmbH, hiring contractors, or using payroll-only support may also be considered.

Best for: Fast market entry

EOR vs. GmbH

Setting up a GmbH gives you full local control, but it also means incorporating a German entity, running local payroll, and taking on ongoing legal, tax, and administrative responsibilities.

TAKEAWAY For most companies making their first hires in Germany, an EOR is the faster and more practical way to get started. Compare EOR vs. GmbH →

Best for: Full-time hires

EOR vs. Contractors

Hiring contractors may appear more flexible, but in Germany it can create real compliance exposure if the role functions like regular employment in practice.

TAKEAWAY If you are hiring for a long-term, integrated role, an EOR is usually the safer and more defensible structure.

Best for: No legal entity

EOR vs. Payroll Support

Payroll-only support can help process salaries, but it does not solve the underlying issue if you do not yet have a legal employer setup in Germany.

TAKEAWAY An EOR provides the full employment infrastructure — from contracts and onboarding to payroll and compliance.

Not sure which setup fits your Germany hiring plans?

We can help you assess whether an EOR, a GmbH, or another setup is the right fit for your team, hiring timeline, and growth plans.

Discuss your hiring setup

How worknow compares to global EOR platforms

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Let´s talk

Get in touch to discuss your EOR setup in Germany.

Send us an Email

FAQs

What does Employer of Record mean at worknow?

An Employer of Record (EOR) enables companies to employ staff in another country in a fully compliant manner without setting up a local legal entity. worknow operates exclusively in Germany and acts as the legal employer for employees hired in Germany on behalf of foreign companies.

Where employees are hired and perform their work in Germany, Employer of Record arrangements fall under Germany’s labour leasing framework. According to the prevailing legal view, EOR models with a German nexus qualify as labour leasing (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung). For this reason, worknow operates its EOR services accordingly and holds the required AUG licence issued by the German Federal Employment Agency.

Based in Berlin, with in-depth knowledge of German labor, tax and social security law and the required legal authorizations, worknow ensures that employment in Germany is fully compliant. Our approach focuses on personal support, clear processes and direct accessibility.

Which services does worknow provide as an Employer of Record?

worknow assumes all legal and administrative employer responsibilities in Germany. This includes the preparation of compliant German employment contracts, full payroll processing, payment of taxes and social security contributions and all required filings with authorities and social security institutions.

Day-to-day management and operational collaboration with the employee remain fully with the client company.

How does payroll work at worknow?

As Employer of Record, worknow bears full responsibility for accurate and timely payroll in Germany. Salaries are paid on time, all statutory deductions are correctly processed and all reporting obligations are fulfilled.

This allows foreign companies to employ staff in Germany without having to deal with the complexity of German payroll, tax and social security regulations themselves.

What are the costs of using worknow?

Our Employer of Record service provides full employment, payroll, and compliance coverage in Germany.

We handle all statutory obligations — from contracts and payslips to social security, benefits, and tax filings — so you can focus on your business.
Our EOR Service Fee is standard at 599 Euro plus 199 Euro for On- and 199 Euro for Offboarding.
We provide a clear, all-inclusive monthly fee that covers everything required for compliant employment in Germany.
The monthly service fee covers all employment administration, payroll, statutory filings, benefits coordination, and local compliance.
Fees only apply while the employee is actively employed under worknow’s EOR arrangement.
Payments for gross salaries and employment costs are due by the 15th of each month, with salary disbursement on the third-last German banking day.
A deposit equal to 1.5 month’s gross salary + employer contributions per employee is required before onboarding and will be offset against the final payroll upon termination.

Get in touch for a transparent quote based on your specific needs.

Can I hire employees in Germany without an Employer of Record?

worknow is not a global platform provider, but a Germany-focused Employer of Record. With a clear regional focus, a Berlin headquarters and personal support, worknow offers a significantly higher level of legal certainty than broadly positioned international providers.

Instead of anonymous workflows, you work with dedicated contacts who understand German labor law and take your specific situation into account.

How high are the Employer Contributions in Germany in 2026

In Germany, total employment costs consist of gross salary plus mandatory employer contributions to social security and statutory insurance schemes. These contributions are regulated by law and apply to all employees.

Based on a Gross Salary = 100%
Pension insurance (9.3 %) – statutory retirement fund
Health insurance (8.9 %) – statutory health insurance
Long-term care insurance (1.8 %) – nursing and care contribution
Unemployment insurance (1.3 %) – unemployment protection
U1 (2.5 %) – reimbursement (partial) for longtime sickness
U2 (0.34 %) – reimbursement for maternity and parental leave
U3 (0.15 %) – insolvency levy

Employers in Germany typically pay around 24% on top of gross salary in mandatory statutory contributions. These contributions fund the German social security system and provide strong social protection for employees, but they also make payroll and employment administration more complex.
As your Employer of Record, we handle payroll, statutory benefits, and compliance, giving you full clarity on what employing in Germany actually costs.

What are the Paid time off and holidays in Germany

worknow ensures fair, transparent and fully compliant employment conditions in Germany, based on applicable German labor law and statutory requirements. Employees benefit from strong employment protections, clearly regulated working conditions and paid leave. Annual vacation is defined in line with German law and is commonly extended contractually depending on the role, seniority and overall employment setup.

Germany observes 9 to 13 public holidays, depending on the federal state in which the employee is based. For example, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have more public holidays than Berlin or Hamburg.

In case of illness, employees in Germany continue to receive their full salary for up to six weeks, as required by German law.
Statutory reimbursement mechanisms apply, ensuring predictable employer costs.

Overall, German labor law provides a high level of employee protection. worknow ensures that all employment conditions are implemented correctly and in full compliance from day one.

How does worknow differ from international EOR providers?

Instead of anonymous workflows, you work with dedicated contacts who understand German labor law and take your specific situation into account.

AUG Licence

As part of the licensing process, the Federal Employment Agency conducts regular and comprehensive reviews of a provider’s reliability, financial stability, and full compliance with wage payments and social security contributions. An indefinite AUG licence is only granted after several years of audits without any objections, making it a strong indicator of long-term compliance and operational stability.

Is there a minimum or maximum duration for employment with worknow?

There is no minimum duration for employment with worknow.

Under German law, employment within an Employer-of-Record / employee leasing setup is subject to a maximum duration of 18 months. worknow ensures that this statutory limit is observed and supports you in structuring the engagement accordingly.

If longer-term employment in Germany is planned, worknow is happy to advise on alternative, compliant setups.

Can worknow provide a company car or fuel card?

No. As an Employer of Record, worknow does not provide company cars or fuel cards.

Due to the limited duration of EOR arrangements and the financial, legal and tax risks associated with vehicle leasing, this is not feasible. As an alternative, clients may arrange a vehicle directly, for example through a long-term rental. Where applicable, worknow can reflect private-use taxation or mileage reimbursement in a compliant way via payroll.

Bonus Payments & Incentives

Can we include bonus agreements in the employment contract?

To maintain maximum flexibility and a clear separation of legal liability, worknow GmbH does not fix any performance-related bonus entitlements in the primary employment contract.

Our role is to provide a compliant platform for your international or local hiring needs.

Regarding incentives, we operate under the following principles:

Discretionary Nature: Any rewards or incentives are treated as purely discretionary payments initiated by the client. These are not part of the core contractual salary obligations of worknow GmbH.
The Pass-Through Model: We act solely as a technical processing agent. A payout can only be facilitated if the client explicitly requests it and provides the necessary funds in advance.
Budgeting for Ancillary Costs: Please be aware that the total cost for a bonus includes the gross amount plus approximately 25% in employer-side contributions (social security, etc.).
Execution only upon Funding: worknow GmbH will process the payment through the next available payroll once the full amount (including all employer costs) has been secured.

The Benefit: This structure ensures that you retain full control over your budget on a month-to-month basis without creating long-term legal precedents or fixed contractual liabilities for either party.

How does the collaboration with worknow start?

Getting started with worknow is simple.

You send us a short email outlining your hiring plans in Germany, including who you want to hire, for which role, the intended start date, the planned salary and the expected duration of employment.

Based on this information, worknow reviews feasibility and, in most cases, completes the entire setup within 3–5 business days. Where required, we are also able to progress steps over weekends to meet tight timelines. Throughout the process, you are supported by a dedicated contact to ensure a compliant, transparent and straightforward setup.

See more FAQs about the process

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